Sludge-Based Organic Fertilizer Plant Setup

In modern urban management, one of the biggest environmental challenges is how to handle sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants.

Instead of discarding or landfilling it, more cities are now converting sludge into valuable organic fertilizer — a sustainable approach that supports circular agriculture.

That’s where a sludge-based organic fertilizer plant setup becomes a key solution, transforming municipal or industrial sludge into nutrient-rich fertilizer for soil regeneration and crop growth.

Why Choose Sludge for Organic Fertilizer Production?

Sewage sludge may sound like waste, but in reality, it’s rich in organic matter (30–50%), nitrogen, phosphorus, and trace minerals.
When properly treated and stabilized, it can serve as an excellent raw material for organic fertilizer.

Advantages of sludge-based organic fertilizer include:

  • Recycles urban waste into a renewable agricultural product

  • Reduces landfill usage and greenhouse gas emissions

  • Improves soil structure and water-holding capacity

  • Supplies essential nutrients for crops

  • Complies with circular economy and green agriculture goals

However, direct use of sludge is unsafe due to pathogens, heavy metals, and odor.
This is why a controlled sludge-based organic fertilizer plant setup is essential — ensuring safety, stability, and compliance with environmental standards.

Key Steps in Sludge-Based Organic Fertilizer Plant Setup

Setting up a sludge-based organic fertilizer plant requires a combination of biological treatment, thermal stabilization, and mechanical processing.
Below is a step-by-step overview of the typical production process and equipment involved.

1. Sludge Dewatering and Pre-Treatment

The process starts with mechanical dewatering using a screw press or belt filter press, reducing the moisture content from 80–90% down to about 60–70%.
Excess water is recycled for further treatment, minimizing waste discharge.

To reduce odor and improve texture, conditioning agents such as sawdust, rice husks, or straw powder are added.
This step also adjusts the C/N ratio to around 25:1 — ideal for microbial composting.

2. Aerobic Composting and Pathogen Elimination

The conditioned sludge mixture is transferred to a composting system, where aerobic microorganisms decompose organic matter.
This is the core phase of the sludge-based organic fertilizer plant setup.

LANE Heavy Industry offers multiple composting solutions:

  • Groove Type Compost Turner: for large-scale enclosed fermentation channels

  • Crawler Type Compost Turner: for flexible outdoor composting

  • Wheel Type Turner: for deep and long fermentation tanks

During fermentation, temperatures reach 55–70°C, effectively killing pathogens, eggs, and weed seeds.
Odor control systems and bio-filters can be integrated for urban-friendly operation.

3. Crushing and Mixing

After fermentation, the composted sludge becomes crumbly and stable.
It is then processed through a vertical crusher or chain crusher to break down clumps and achieve uniform particle size.
Next, the material is blended in a horizontal mixer, often with additives like humic acid, biochar, or beneficial microbes to enhance fertilizer quality.

4. Granulation

The mixed compost is then converted into granules using a granulator.
This step improves handling, storage, and application efficiency.

LANE provides several granulation options for sludge-based fertilizers:

  • Stirring Pin Granulator: for fine, wet sludge materials

  • Disc Granulator: for adjustable particle sizes

  • Double Roller Granulator: for dry granulation without heating

Each granulator can be customized based on production capacity and material moisture.

5. Drying and Cooling

Moisture content in fresh granules typically remains around 25–30%.
A rotary drum dryer reduces it to below 15%, ensuring stability and longer shelf life.
The product then passes through a rotary cooler, which helps solidify granule structure and prevent clumping.

LANE’s drying systems use hot air furnaces or biomass burners, combining energy efficiency with environmental safety.

6. Screening and Packaging

A rotary drum screener separates oversized and undersized granules.
Unqualified particles are returned for reprocessing, maintaining consistent product quality.
Finally, the finished fertilizer is packed with an automatic weighing and packaging machine, ready for sale or agricultural use.

LANE’s Complete Sludge-Based Fertilizer Solutions

LANE Heavy Industry specializes in turnkey organic fertilizer plant setups for both agricultural and municipal applications.
For sludge-based projects, we offer:

  • Customized plant layout and capacity design (1–20 tons/hour)

  • Corrosion-resistant stainless steel equipment

  • Odor and dust control systems

  • Full automation (PLC control panels)

  • On-site installation and operator training

With rich experience in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Middle East, LANE has delivered numerous successful projects converting sewage sludge into valuable fertilizer products used in landscaping, fruit orchards, and crop farming.

Environmental and Economic Benefits

Implementing a sludge-based organic fertilizer plant setup creates both ecological and financial advantages:

Environmental Benefits

  • Reduces sludge disposal volume by up to 70%

  • Prevents groundwater contamination

  • Cuts methane emissions from untreated waste

Economic Benefits

  • Produces high-value organic fertilizer (rich in N, P, K)

  • Generates new revenue for municipal utilities

  • Reduces chemical fertilizer imports and costs

It’s a sustainable model that turns urban waste into agricultural resources — supporting both farmers and city governments in achieving environmental goals.

Case Study: Municipal Sludge Composting Project in Indonesia

In 2024, LANE Heavy Industry helped an environmental engineering firm in Surabaya, Indonesia, set up a sludge-based organic fertilizer plant with a daily capacity of 30 tons.
The plant used a groove-type composting system combined with odor control and automated granulation.
After six months of operation, it successfully produced 12–15 tons of finished organic fertilizer per day — now used for municipal greening and crop cultivation.

The project not only reduced sludge stockpiles but also created local jobs and new income streams for the city.

Conclusion

A sludge-based organic fertilizer plant setup represents a forward-thinking approach to waste management and sustainable agriculture.
By transforming urban sludge into high-quality fertilizer, cities can close the loop between waste generation and food production.

With LANE Heavy Industry’s expertise in composting, granulation, and automation, every step — from sludge treatment to final packaging — is efficient, reliable, and eco-friendly.
This is how waste becomes value — and sustainability becomes reality.

For more details, please feel free to contact us.

Henan Lane Heavy Industry Machinery Technology Co., Ltd.

Email: sales@lanesvc.com

Contact number: +86 13526470520

Whatsapp: +86 13526470520

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